Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, in a strong endorsement of the Indian Armed Forces, said on Tuesday that professional military forces remain undeterred by setbacks or casualties. His remarks came amidst India's ongoing campaign against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism under Operation Sindoor.
“Professional military forces are not affected by setbacks or losses,” General Chauhan stated during a lecture in Pune. “When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important. The results and how you act are important. It would not be very correct to talk about losses,” he said, downplaying casualty figures and emphasising operational outcomes.
Elaborating on the broader purpose of Operation Sindoor, the CDS made it clear that India’s objective is to put an end to cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan. “State-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan has to stop. India is not going to live under the shadow of terror and nuclear blackmail,” he asserted, delivering a direct message to Islamabad.
Commenting on the scale and precision of India’s retaliatory strikes on terror infrastructure across the border, General Chauhan noted that the Indian Armed Forces have significantly “raised the bar” in counter-terror operations. “We have drawn a new line of military operation against terror. We’ve connected terrorism to critical resources — like water — and demonstrated that Pakistan’s strategy to bleed India by a thousand cuts will no longer go unanswered,” he said.
Highlighting the adversarial intent of Pakistan, General Chauhan recalled statements made by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir shortly before the Pahalgam terror attack. “Their army chief was spewing venom against India and Hindus just weeks before the Pahalgam attack. This was no coincidence,” he said, pointing to the incident as the trigger for India’s forceful response through Operation Sindoor.
The CDS also questioned the logic behind Pakistan’s reliance on terrorism as a tool of warfare. “Is terrorism a rational act of warfare? I don't think so, because terrorism has no defined logic. As far as our adversary is concerned, it has decided to bleed India by a thousand cuts,” he said.
General Chauhan referred to the historical context of Pakistan’s hostile doctrine against India, citing former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's 1965 speech at the United Nations Security Council. “In 1965, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared a thousand-year war against India. That mindset still persists,” he added, underscoring the long-standing ideological hostility that India faces.
Also Read: India, Pakistan army generals trade 'warnings' at Shangri-La meet
Follow us
